Dr. Shannon Holzer - Professor, Houston Christian University Joins Houston's Morning News

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I mean, how many people knew that mister mister song
Carrie a laison. What that means? It is, Lord have
mercy is what that means? Kind of like a prayer.
Five point fifty three our time here in Houston's Born News.
We're joined by doctor Shannon Holzer, professor at Houston Christian University.
It's a lot of things we could talk about, doctor Holzer,
but I just want to get your thoughts in general,

(00:21):
since the Charlie Kirk killing, we have seen a resurgence
of church attendance. What do you make of that? Do
you think that's a temporary thing or do you think
that maybe is finally people turning back to the church.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
I think it's a catalyst that gets people who are
on the fence to make a decision, perhaps because if
they weren't going to make a decision for Jesus to
begin with a shooting of guys, probably not going to
do that. But other people had probably been planting seeds
in their lives, watering it, and somewhere down the line

(00:54):
comes a harvesting time and then you know catalysts like
Charlie Kirk happened and people go, no, this is this
is something that I need to make a decision, for
a decision for good versus evil, and certainly I'm not
going to stand on the other side of that, And
I think there's a good harvest of that. We'll see

(01:15):
what seeds fell on the good soil with time and
how long they last. Well, we hope for our mature
Christians who could stand on their own without the need
of a pastor constantly cultivating their faith for them makes sense.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
The Catholic Church itself, however, has a manpower problem. If
you're a priest every year, does that indicate to you
that perhaps the Catholic Church at some point is going
to have to consider doing something different. Do you think
they'll ever consider allowing women to become priests, for example,
versus just nuns.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
I don't think so. But they do have a short
disparity where the Catholic Church in the last couple of
years has been growing worldwide, and even in Africa and Asia,
the priesthood actually has grown, but in Europe and America
it seems to have kind of contracted a bit. So

(02:12):
what you see are international priests. If you go to
a parish, you'll have a Nigerian priest or a Filipino priest,
and it's pretty interesting. Another thing they've done is they've
made use of the deacons who can be married, and
often churchgoverers don't even know the difference, except for the
priest is the one who praised over the sacrament at church.

(02:36):
So there's a lot of the work being taken out
by those who can get married. And then there are
the eucharistic ministers who do other ministries as well, so
it gives an opportunity in the Catholic Church for others
to step up and do things well.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
And lastly, you know, it's a difficult topic, I know,
but there is violence over the weekend in Michigan at
a Mormon church. You are you concerned about more violence
being directed at Christians in general?

Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yes, yes, I am. I think because the Christians have
a prophetic voice and they're speaking aup against certain things
that are going on in society, specifically the trans movement.
And not to blame trans the trans people right now,
but there seems to be them in the news right

(03:26):
now doing such things and being motivated by this, suggesting
that if you view their lifestyle or how they are
as hateful, they painted that way and thus they justify
getting rid of you, and I think that's going to
work the apposite effect for that for them. I don't

(03:47):
think it's going to get people to see their worldview
any better.

Speaker 1 (03:51):
No, you're certainly right about that, Doctor Holzer. Thank you,
appreciate your time, Doctor Shannon Holzer, Professor at Houston Christian University.
It's five fifty seven